Tempers flare over La Broquerie housing

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This article was published 29/09/2016 (3134 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A hearing on a plan for more row housing on Rue Principale in La Broquerie drew a full house in the municipal council chambers on Wednesday night.

By the end of the discussion a group hug might have been warranted.

Council approved a request by Elmer Toews to add four additional units to his latest project, increasing its scope from seven to 11 units, but not before a heated exchange between councillor Larry Tetrault and LUD member Rheal Gagnon.

Earlier in the meeting concerns had been raised by others about how the creation of low-income housing is transforming the character of the community without consideration of long term planning.

Among them, RM resident David Dawson spoke of the British experience and warned against the proliferation of this type of housing.

“It all turned into slums,” said Dawson, “I’m afraid that’s what is going to happen in La Broquerie.”

As the public hearing was closed and council deliberations began, Tetrault noted “when there’s changes in the community there’s always some conflicting ideas.” He suggested the project had strong support from the business community.

He also defended the need for low-income properties and challenged Dawson’s earlier “slums” comments.

“We all start somewhere,” Tetrault said, recalling his own modest first home.

“I’m glad that the people here that were rich allowed me to live in La Broquerie even though I was poor,” he said.

“Then when I had a better wage, which you guys were paying, I bought a bigger house,” the former La Broquerie chief administrative officer continued.

Tetrault’s comments were too much for Gagnon, who shook his head repeatedly as the councillor rationalized his support for the project.

Though the public hearing was closed, Gagnon insisted he be allowed to speak. Reeve Lewis Weiss allowed it and things quickly devolved into a shouting match between Tetrault and Gagnon, who took issue with Tetrault stating the LUD wasn’t represented at the meeting.

Gagnon told The Carillon the disagreement was fuelled in part by the fact the project was not brought up for discussion at a prior LUD meeting. He said LUD members had first expressed opposition to the initial seven unit project and the same concerns remain.

“We think it should not be on Main Street,” he said, adding he would prefer to see the existing homes be maintained. He also expressed worry about the increased traffic that will be created near Arborgate School.

Tetrault expressed regret about how differences were aired on Wednesday night.

“We’re not supposed to lose our cool in a council meeting and I’ve apologized to my council. I’m going to be talking to Rheal and were going to iron this out and I think there’s better ways to discuss our community than what we did tonight,” Tetrault told The Carillon.

Tetrault, along with Weiss and councillors Wilfred Chabot and Cameron Peters, voted in favour of the project’s approval. Councillors Alvin Derksen and Ivan Normandeau voted against the plan.

The reeve maintained his previous position that this is a good location for the project but admitted he considered voting against it in light of opposition. Some three dozen individuals had indicated objections to the plan.

“I like to vote with the people and felt that I was going to vote against it, even though I felt personally it was a good location, but when I read a lot of the things I didn’t really think they had a good foundation for not allowing it,” said Weiss.

The reeve chalked it up to a “fear of the unknown” but agreed that community consultation is valuable as long people participate, something that hasn’t always happened in the past.

“Maybe due to this occurring now it will spark interest with the community,” he said.